Hello guys. Thanks for all the support. I'm so happy you think I have written Djaq well. Sorry, I haven't updated. Been very busy with exams and school and stuff.
Djaq felt her heart freeze with utter terror
Djaq felt her heart freeze with utter terror. The fear she felt was something akin to the emotions she'd held on the night of her attack. But she wasn't scared of Will, she knew the man would never harm her, in fact when she was with the gentle carpenter she felt the safest. It was the idea that he would realise what had happened; that because of that he would view her as less of a woman having lost her honour and dignity; she would be nothing better than filth. And why would filth like her be wanted in Robin Hood's noble gang?
Will saw the woman's eyes widen in absolute horror, her pitch black pupils growing in size so much that they practically swallowed her irises and gave her eyes a hollowed out look. He momentarily froze realising he was the one to have done this to her. He had terrified Djaq, the woman he loved, the woman who never showed fear. What had caused her to be alarmed by his very presence?
Grabbing her arms protectively Djaq backed away from the young man, almost tripping over the bundle of bloody clothes in the process.
"Djaq, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry," Will gabbled, seeing her defensive movements, "Whatever they're from it's none of my business. I can see that. I shouldn't have asked."
"Please, Will, go. Just go," Djaq whispered, a haunted look in her eyes.
"But…." He began, despite the fact he'd been told to go Will's instinct was still telling him to stay and comfort her.
"GO!" the Saracen snapped.
Will didn't need telling again, he turned with the pile of wood he'd collected in his arms and fled the scene like a kicked puppy. He didn't think he'd ever been so hurt in his life. He'd do anything for Djaq; he'd die for her in a second. But for some reason that must link to those bruises on her arms she didn't want him near her.
Djaq didn't even bother trying to stem the tears leaking from her eyes as she pulled a borrowed jerkin that she reckoned must've been Much's at one point, due to the food stains over it, over her battered arms and picked up the mess on the floor. She couldn't deny seeing the intensely wounded look in the carpenter's eyes when she yelled at him. However, despite the fact it pained her being so harsh with Will, the Saracen was sure it was for the best in the long run. He wouldn't want to know about the sordid details of her rape, would he?
When Will pretty much stumbled into camp with the look of a frightened deer in his eyes the others looked up with varying degrees of concern. Robin was up on his feet immediately looking around for any immediate danger that could've caused the young man to look so distressed. Once he was sure there was nothing he looked at Will questioningly.
"What's wrong?" the leader of the outlaws asked.
The dark-haired outlaw started for a moment. How could they have known anything was wrong? Then he realised the state in which he'd entered the camp and saw their reaction was the most logical. He needed to calm down, after all he didn't want to upset Djaq any further when she obviously didn't want to talk to anyone.
"Oh, n-nothing," he stammered battling to control his voice and offering them a small smile.
"Come on, Will, you can't barrel into camp like that and then say nothing's wrong. What's going on?"
"Um…." Will urged his brain to come up with a reasonable excuse as to why he looked so panic-stricken. Then he remembered something Djaq said earlier and it clicked. "Much how come you didn't tell me Djaq was going for a wash? I could've done with some forewarning." It left a horrible sick feeling in the pit of the young man's stomach as he realised how easily to lie slipped off the tip of his tongue. He'd spent too much time with Allan. And look where lying got Allan.
It took a moment for the outlaws to realise what his reply insinuated but then their faces lit up as it suddenly dawned on them.
"Again? Oh Will, you are the cheeky bugger aren't you?" Much grinned, shaking his head, "No wonder you look so flushed."
"Thank the Lord for that. I thought there was actually some kind of emergency rather than Will getting all worked up over seeing a woman naked," Robin also offered his sly comment and a wink.
"Well it would be nice if someone told me next time. Ok?" Will said before retreating to his wood area to mull things over. He needed to work out what was wrong with Djaq.
The Saracen woman had to take a deep breath before drawing enough courage to enter camp. She dreaded the reaction she might get. What if Will had worked it out and told the others? Would they turn her out for being so dirty and ruined? Only one way to find out.
Placing a foot forward Djaq tried to stroll into camp with an air of confidence. As she entered she spotted Much sewing up one of his shirts on the bed. He looked up and grinned at her.
"Hey Djaq, you missed breakfast, I was going to save you some but that pig over there ate it all," Much gestured to Little John.
"Who are you calling a pig? You ate the last bit," John replied gruffly but offered Djaq a kindly smile, "There's still bread if you want it."
"I'm fine," the woman found herself smiling back. It may have been fake, the light not quite reaching her eyes and her lips a little too twisted for it to be genuine but Much and Little John were oblivious. They believed she was fine.
Making her way further into camp she was greeted by Robin swinging down from his perch in a tree. It was his favourite place to go when he wanted some alone time with his thoughts. The others had dubbed it his 'Thinking Spot'. The leafy canopy above provided shade but still let some sunlight through and the fact the tree reached above the roof of the camp allowed him some freedom from the confines of daily-life.
"Mornin' Djaq. Did you get your boots then?"
"Boots?" Djaq was thrown for a moment.
"Yeah, the ones you were getting to replace your old ones last night." Robin nodded a frown gracing his boyish features.
"Oh, yes, I did get some," the Saracen recalled buying them but she also remembered dropping them on the ground when she was attacked. They were lying somewhere in the forest waiting to be picked up by some lucky peasant.
"Good," Robin grinned, "You're going to need them with all the running I'm planning."
After leaving the company of her leader Djaq found herself alone on her bunk and fingering the wooden tag around her neck. The wood was slightly rough but perfectly finished with all the edges and corners rounded off carefully. The carving in the middle was painstakingly detailed and could've only been completed by a skilled craftsman. Will being that skilled craftsman.
Djaq remembered one time, when the young man had yet again created a piece of woodwork that was more like art: perfectly proportioned and exquisitely detailed, that Much turned round and said, "You know what, Will Scarlett, you are a magician. What you do with a simple piece of wood is complete and utter magic." The Saracen was sure she couldn't have put it better herself.
Ok, it wasn't exactly a cliffhanger but it didnt really round it off either. There is still more to come if I ever get round to it. Please review. I promise that Will will find out what happened and probs the others.